El Banditos‘ Funds

El Banditos

Almost two years ago we raced a tuk tuk (or auto-rickshaw) through rural Madhya Pradesh to raise awareness and money to protect the Asian elephant. It’s time to hit the road again.It is so hard to believe that within our lifetime one of the most magnificent species on the planet may cease to exist. And when the elephant goes, so do many of the flora and fauna that co-exist with it. The good news is that we are not doomed, but the reality is we're not in the clear. We are creating the future with every word, every action, every thought. As for our thoughts, we don't want to live in a world without elephants. We have no right to destroy what we did not create.

So, in a few weeks, we will be setting off for India again for our second race - a journey of 500km through the blazing hot deserts and crowded streets of Rajasthan. Along the way we will encounter cars, jeeps, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, tractors, tuk tuks, bicycles, farmers, students, pedestrians, herders, cows, goats, dogs, sheep, camels, more cows, and even more goats. Every effort we take to protect endangered species protects humanity from itself.

Travels to my Elephant is inspired by Elephant Family’s late and very great founder, Mark Shand, and his best-selling book, Travels on my Elephant, which tells the story of Mark’s 1,000-mile journey across India on an Asian Elephant, Tara.
This once-in-a-lifetime race starts in October and will take us on an exciting journey throughout India on motorcycles and jeeps. We will be traveling with a fleet of 40 vehicles across Rajasthan.
Elephant Family exists to save this iconic animal from extinction in the wild, along with tigers, orangutans and all the other animals who share their habitat. Working with local people and partnering non-government organizations, they currently fund 20 projects across Asia and invest where they are needed most: protecting habitat, preventing conflict and reconnecting the forest homes of the endangered Asian elephant.